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Subaru Legacy/Outback Wagons Maintenance & Repair

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Comments

  • willie_warthogwillie_warthog Member Posts: 4
    Thanks, that is a fasinating article on braking. It should be required reading for anyone who cares about their brakes.

    Willie
  • pathungpathung Member Posts: 2
    Thanks for you input, Ken. You're implying then that the rattle may be coming from fuel lines in the engine bay, and not the dash board? Hmmm, the rattle sounds like it's right in the dash area... I'll ask the dealer's service techs and see what they think.

    I think that I will log a case with Subaru - a new car shouldn't have these problems, despite its having been traded amongst a few dealers and clocked 480 miles when I took delivery.
  • gbdouglasgbdouglas Member Posts: 1
    I am having a similiar problem on my my99 outback with 170k on the clock the inner cv boot split and got dry and then a noise started, after replacing the inner cv joint it was still there. the only thing my transmission guy has said was that I had replaced the front wheels and the rear ones were pretty worn and this may be causing the noise on full lock I have new rear tyres for 5 days and it does seem to be getting quieter but it is still there
    have you had any luck diagnosing your problem ?
  • nowakj66nowakj66 Member Posts: 709
    The heating and cooling fan in our Outback has become loud. It can sound like a distant propeller airplane taxing for take off. The dealer said it may be old leaves stuck in there. Any idea how to get them cleared out?

    There are 4 settings on the fan and the noise is tolerable on setting 1 and 2 but too loud on 3 and 4.
  • stuseattlestuseattle Member Posts: 1
    We had this problem on our 1992 and it turned out to be a sticky valve. As we were driving, the valve would start to stick open; it would stall and the valve would close so it would start up again.

    Because a valve job is so expensive, we tried cleaners first. Our mechanic used some heavy-duty stuff a few times and, eventually, the problem disappeared.

    stu
  • occkingoccking Member Posts: 346
    Have a XM Commander Satellite radio which has been working fine for 6 months in 2.5I Outback. All of a sudden, it will not go on at all--seemed like a fuse as I thought everything else was working. Now I noticed that the seatbelt chimes & flashinglight in dash no long goes on if someone in either front seat & seatbelt not connected. When I put the ignition on accessory position at first, the light in the dash does go on momentarily. Is it possible they are connected? Not sure if I should go back to place that installed the radio or back to Subaru dealer. Probably dealer cause that is not normal for seat belt light & chime not to go on. I never went through the process described in previously postings how to eliminate the constant chime.

    There is nothing in the owners manual in the section on fuses that indicates one for seatbelts, only for airbags.
  • psgpsg Member Posts: 72
    Any tips on how to replace the upper left side of the front door panel on a 1995 Legacy L wagon? I’m upgrading the speakers and I’m having trouble getting the door panel in that one corner to fit in flush. It looks like it should just slip back on. No problem with the right side corner, just the door hinge side.

    I started on the passenger side door and haven’t worked on the driver side door yet. I don’t want to pull the driver side apart until I have the passenger side figured out. If there is an easy fix, I think I’ll tackle the back speakers as well. Since I've upgraded to an Alpine head unit (easy/fun install), the stock speakers actually sound pretty good. If it is going to be as much a pain to do the rear doors, I think I’ll leave them alone.

    Phil
  • rob_mrob_m Member Posts: 820
    I would go with the fuel lines also. There have been a bunch of reports of this.

    I have found that the auto dim mirror shakes quite a bit - especially when the car is hot. Rob M.
  • chanootchanoot Member Posts: 4
    My 04 WRX Wagon is doing the exact same thing - the water is coming from a small white tube below the glove compartment that is attached to another ambiguous white plastic part. It drips and sprays out. the whole floor mat can be soaked in about 30 min. I suspect that this is some kind of overflow valve if the condensation outlet become clogged or pinched - but I'm not sure. I'm still trying to figure out what's happening. Will post when I know more.
    :cry:
  • willie_warthogwillie_warthog Member Posts: 4
    I'm back again on my front brakes. I got the rotor turned and bought after market pads. Well, the pads would not fit!! The tabs on the ends were too big to go into the slot on the rotors (even with pulling the clips out). So, I drive 16 miles back to Carquest with the piece off the caliber in order to, hopefully, get pads that fit. No luck, so I go the Napa store, the only other parts store in town, and their pads have the same problem. So, I call a friend in Denver (100 miles from me) to go to a Subaru Dealer and get the pads before they close. He even offers to drive them up and spend the night. Sounds like a good deal. Well, he blows off the dealer and goes to an independent parts store. And guess what? Those pads have the exact same fit problem. Now, it is Sunday and I have to have the car working on Monday and I am 100 miles from away from the Subaru dealer. I decide to reuse the pads and hope for the best. I inspect the pads and discover that the inner pad on both front wheels are worn all the way down and the outboard pads are barely used. Obviously, a stuck guide sleeve. I reverse the pads (out to in) and free up the guide pins. The brakes feel good and at least I can make it to Denver to get OEM pads. My questions: Has any anyone else had the after market problem or the stuck caliber problem? Thanks for reading about my escapade. Nothing is ever simple!!!
  • darbyqdarbyq Member Posts: 2
    Yes! We've replaced our headlights at ~4 months, ~8 months, and again today (~1yr). The dealer had mentioned that they saw a number of headlights being replaced early, so maybe there is something here....
    I'm glad to see that someone else is wondering the same thing. It may be worth contacting Subaru and finding out what they have to say.
  • fauffantfauffant Member Posts: 2
    My son purchased a 1997 Legacy GT from his buddy. I noticed that the check engine light is flashing (blinking). My son told me that his buddy said its been like that for quite some time. I want to know if there is a way to clear this 'alarm' or reset it. Is there a problem or just is this a nuisance that we will not be able to correct? :confuse: Thanks!
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    That's the bad one. A solid light is just a warning, but a blinking light means you are supposed to shut it off and call a tow truck.

    You can try to reset the ECU, but I doubt it'll clear a code like that. Instead, I'd get the code scanned to try to find out what triggered it.

    -juice
  • outtaafricaouttaafrica Member Posts: 1
    The following are problems/annoyances I have been experiencing with my 2003 Legacy Outback, which is currently around 26,000 miles. I haven't been able to find many posts concerning most of these issues and was wondering if anyone has experienced similar problems:

    1. Gas peddle sticks when car sits for more than 5-6 hours. Problem started in Fall 2004. Seems to only do this during colder months, from say Nov-May, because it hasn't been sticking the past couple of days with temps in the 60s and 70s.

    2. There is a rattling in the dash board near the passenger air bag. The rattling stops when one applies pressure anywhere on the air bag cover/compartment. Especially noisy on long trips and or in warmer weather. Same is true for steering wheel. Seems to be a noise coming from that air bag compartment as well. Read about rattling in older models, having to do with the (fuel?) lines, I think. But haven't seen anything on the 2003. Mentioned at last service and they were unable to verify.

    3. Leaky gussets (rubber gaskets near side view mirrors). Especially noisy when driving on the freeway. Have had the car into the dealership for this problem twice. The first time they adjusted a door and the second time they adjusted the gussets. I found one post that said with proper adjustment, the wind noise should go away. Is the 3rd time a charm or should I resolve to having wind noise for as long as I own the car?

    4. Last but not least, there is static on all major FM and AM radio stations. Not terrible, but noticeable enough that it affects my enjoyment of music. I mentioned this at the last 2 services. According to the dealer, this is probably due to the hills surrounding Seattle and according to their diagnostics the radio functions normally. So naturally, I would like to know what is considered normal for a manufacturer's radio, with an antenna embedded in the rear window. I've driven in friends' cars of other makes and models with embedded antennas and the AM/FM music quality is just fine, so I don't buy the line that it is a result of Seattle's geography. Doesn't seem to be a problem with the speakers because CD music quality is fine. A friend of mine that works in the service dept at Subaru told me off the record that it probably has to do with the poor reception quality of the embedded antennas. Would an auxiliary antenna help? What should I do or ask the dealer to check?

    Any advice, trouble-shooting, or ways to better approach these problems with my Subaru dealer would be appreciated.
  • shadowfoxshadowfox Member Posts: 2
    Hi

    I was wondering if someone might be able to help me out. I am a real moron when it comes to car repair... but I am trying to learn as I go. Anyway, I own a 1997 Subaru legacy/outback and recently I have been having my battery get drained on me. So I figured it was just an old battery and time for replacement. When I replaced the batteries I noticed what had been draining the old one. Even while the car is off my interior lights on the dashboard, my brake lights, and my blinkers will continuously turn on and off about ten to twenty times. There will be a break in that for about five seconds and then it will start again. While sitting in the car I also noticed a clicking sound coming from under the steering column as the lights would turn on and off. I was forced to unhook the battery so as not to drain the new one.

    Would anyone know how I might remedy this situation... I am hoping that it might be as simple as changing a fuse ... but a part of me thinks it might be a more serious electrical issue. Any insight or experience with this problem and tips on how I can go about fixing the situation would be greatly appreciated.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Sounds like you have a short of some kind. Those aren't easy to find/fix, though.

    -juice
  • fibber2fibber2 Member Posts: 3,786
    I suspect that I am heading down the same path. I am getting intermittant build up (presumably a combination of pad transfer, and localized rusting when the car sits), resulting in a lot of brake pulsation (warp...) and a grinding noise. A high speed stop followed by a cooldown period without applying the brakes will clear it, but it returns in a day or so. In addition, both front inside pads are showing considerable wear, with the outsides still thick, so the sliders aren't allowing even pressure as as they should.

    I have been debating whether to go OEM on pads and rotors, or aftermarket, but you have now convinced me to go OEM on at least the pads! Guess I better decide and order soon before I get left in the cold. '02 with only 32k miles, so it is way too early for this....

    Steve
  • fibber2fibber2 Member Posts: 3,786
    On an OBDII equipped car, a flashing CEL usually indicates some sort of engine misfire. Fuel mixture not right, too little spark... This has the effect of flooding the cat-con with too much unburned fuel, and can kill it and the O2 sensor. The result gets expensive fast.

    Steve
  • fibber2fibber2 Member Posts: 3,786
    1. Gas peddle sticks when car sits for more than 5-6 hours.

    I have had this happen on other cars as well. The throttle cable connects to a bell crank that opens a large butterfly valve. The housing is aluminum, the plate is typically steel. Throw in a little carbon buildup at the spot where the closed plate touches the housing, and it sticks when the car cools.

    It is something that you can usually free up yourself with a rag and some carb cleaner, but it will require a bit of disassembly to get at.

    Steve
  • fibber2fibber2 Member Posts: 3,786
    Joseph,

    With a little effort, you can remove the blower motor and check for debris. I suggest that you go to one of the online parts sellers and download the .pdf instructions for changing the HVAC air filters. They will show you the basics of how to remove the glove box and related trim. From there, remove the wiring harness, breather tube and three screws from the bottom of the round fan assembly, and the blower motor and fan looks like it will drop right down into the passengers footwell. I does look, however, like you might have to move/remove some other wiring harness that block easy access to the bottom of the motor, but it does not look to complex.

    Steve
  • burnooseburnoose Member Posts: 1
    Hello,

    I am in the market for a used OB and found one I liked, but the mechanic discouraged me, saying that in the pre-2000s, the 2.2 engines are better and the 2.5 often need major repair. How true is this?

    Thanks.

    Bernice
  • zman3zman3 Member Posts: 857
    I would say that is a fairly accurate summary. I have not heard of too many issues with the 2.2L engine. The 2.5L engines, on the other hand, have had more than their fair share of piston slap and head gasket leakage issues. If the performance difference does not make any difference to you, I would avoid the 2.5L engine.

    I speak from experience.
  • wittman1wittman1 Member Posts: 1
    I drive a 99 Subaru Outback Legacy (wagon). Unfortunately, I cannot open the rear door and I can't figure out why. If anyone has any ideas, I'd appreciate it...Thanks...Collin
  • hypovhypov Member Posts: 3,068
    No that isn't what that's draining your battery.

    Whenever the battery is disconnected and reconnected, the keyless entry module needs to be reset.

    I do not know the remote method to reset the module, but on my '98 OB there's a button mounted where the hood release lever is. It's very small, so you would have to get down under and look behind the dash. The module will reset when depressed.

    -Dave
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,747
    I have mixed feelings about this issue, but I would tend to agree with zman.

    I have a '96 with the 2.5L (in '96, both the 2.2 and the 2.5 were available on the OB model) - in subsequent years, I believe that only the 2.5 was available..... true?

    Anyhow, I have 188K on mine and have not had any problems with the engine (piston slap or head gaskets) other than what was caused by previous owners. That said, I have actually removed the engine from the car once to fix all the foobar'd gaskets due to an oil-overfill issue from a previous owner.

    In general, I would tread lightly when considering the purchase of a '96-'99 2.5L or even a 2.2L (though the engine itself is solid) for that matter. If you do not know the history of the vehicle, try to look for something newer. I purchased mine in '00 (it was 5 years old at that point, mfg'd in 08-1995) and inherited many little quirks and frustrations that were undoubtedly the primary reason one or more previous owners off-loaded it. If I did not do 99% of the work myself, I would have dumped it long ago as well. The '96s are 10 years old now and the '98s are at 8 years....... that's quite a few years for plenty of opportunity for someone else to neglect a car. :surprise:
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • shadowfoxshadowfox Member Posts: 2
    Hey thanks for the tip... I don't really use my keyless entry anymore so I decided to just disconnect the module. Everything seems to be working fine now. Thanks again.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Without a doubt the EJ22 carries the edge in reliability, it may be their best engine ever.

    Doesn't mean the EJ25 is bad, but we did observe head gasket failures mostly on the DOHC designs, 96-99 on the Legacy/Outback. 98-99 models are covered by an 8/100 warranty if they used the coolant additive precribed by Subaru.

    So I'd have to agree with your mechanic.

    -juice
  • zman3zman3 Member Posts: 857
    Is that right? I never received any notice for the additive for my 98. I thought that was for 2000+, or something like that. The later engines that have the external leak and not the internal leak.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Might have been 99-02 or something like that, I don't recall exactly. My '98 Forester has been quite reliable in its 8 years of trusty service.

    -juice
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,747
    I do not think that a Subaru's record for "trusty service," or even owner testimontials, is really the issue. I love Subaru; the cars are great. I think that even my car has been extremely reliable despite all of the extra effort I have put in to it to keep it so and all the little bugs I feel are manufacturing deficiencies (haha... there's my testimonial!). However, the overwhelming potential for very expensive problems (not least of all is the head gasket issue) in the cars still remain. If you do not know the cars' history, it is best to approach the potential transaction with caution and a leary eye. This is the case, I think, with any used car; I just do not feel that Subaru engines are very forgiving (compared to others) when it comes to neglect. Repairs to it are a good chunk of change..... Why buy a headache?

    Sometimes it is very difficult to tell how well an engine has been maintained; but take your time and go over it with several fine tooth combs before you commit to it or dismiss it.

    -Wes-
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • tbragg44tbragg44 Member Posts: 24
    I need some help with my timing belt replacement on a 99 Outback with the 2.5L DOHC. I got all the covers off, brought the crank to TDC ( I think, the arrow was pointing to the mark on the block) and removed the old timing belt. Then I lined all four camshaft marks with the prepainted marks on the new belt and installed the belt and tensioners. When I tried to start the engine, it cranked but wouldn't fire.

    I'm using a Haynes Repair Manual for the procedures, but it only goes up to '98. I followed those procedures, but no luck. Are there significant differences between the 98 and the 99? Am I missing something? Please advise!!!
  • jfljfl Member Posts: 1,396
    I assume you have confirmed that you are getting a spark?

    With the crank at the TDC mark, did you confirm that it was TDC? (The crank hits the TDC arrow twice - once at TDC and again at the top of the exhaust stroke. In the old days, you could look at the distributor to confirm that the rotor was firing number one plug at TDC.) At TDC all the camshaft marks should also be correctly aligned. If you had to rotate the camshafts more than a few degrees, you might be 180 degrees out of phase.

    You probably know all of this, please forgive me if I've offended you.

    Hope you get it resolved!

    Jim
  • tbragg44tbragg44 Member Posts: 24
    Thanks for the reply, Jim. I have not reverified spark, as I drove the shop to the garage. I'll recheck it.

    I'm assuming the arrow on the crank pulley gear is at the arrow on the block when it is at TDC. I have not verified it at the actual cylinder. Will be the second thing I check this morning.

    Since the belt was completely off, all of the camshafts turned, so I'm trying to reset everything from non-alignment, using the preprinted marks on the belt and the paint/ markings ( I II ) on the camshaft pulleys.

    Thanks in advance for any more advice...

    TB
  • fibber2fibber2 Member Posts: 3,786
    TB,

    If Jim's suggestion did not resolve your problem, everything you ever wanted to know about changing the belt on your year Outback can be found right here at this official Subaru of America site:

    http://endwrench.com/images/pdfs/2.5Timing.pdf

    Best of luck,

    Steve
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,747
    TB, I have had to perform this procedure three times thus far, and will be doing it again in about 2 weeks on my '96. When I do this, I make sure that the crank is in TDC with the marks aligned before I remove the belt.... then, when the belt comes off, usually two of the cams (that are in mid-stroke) will jump out of position and the other two will remain stationary. Then, I just line everything up as I put the belt back in, pop the pin on the tensioner (they were redesigned after '96, so I am not sure how yours operates in comparison, but the '96 was a pain in the [non-permissible content removed]...), and viola - it's ready to go and the engine fires right back up. I also use the same Haynes manual you have and the instructions work when I do it this way.

    The first time I performed this operation, I was not quite so cautious about making sure the cams, etc., moved as little as possible. I ended up getting it out of phase (I thought it looked like it was correct, though) and the engine behaved just as you describe. I had to call in the assistance of a mechanic friend to help me because I was stumped.... it looked right to me. We ended up rotating the cams and crank to re-align it and it started the next time through. It was 5 years ago, though, and I cannot remember the exact details behind the realignment because I was mostly watching and he was doing the work without really pointing out what he was doing. He didn't remove anything additional to get a visual confirmation of the alignment, so I must have just missed a detail. I know this is completely unhelpful, but my memory is just not coming back to rescue me here. :mad:
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • tbragg44tbragg44 Member Posts: 24
    Thanks for the responses, everyone.

    The timing article is excellent, and would have been an excellent resource before I had started. :confuse: Unfortunately, by the time I read it, I believe the damage was already done.

    This is what I've discovered after re-reading the book, and reading the posts. There is a small, triangular indentation stamped into the crankshaft pulley gear. This, apparently is not the timing mark for TDC. In fact, it's about 90 degrees off from the actual timing mark, which is on the 6-splined washer behind the pulley gear. Once I realized this, I reinstalled the belt. To add to the confusion, I also found several marks on the camshaft pulleys: the cast-in notches, white paint marks, and orange paint marks. I set the belt on the cast-in notches, lining it up on the prepainted lines on the belt.

    So I triple check the alignment, put it all back together and fire it up. It runs, but it has some new problems. It idles rough, hesitates on take-off, then smooths out at higher RPMs.

    I think I may have done some damage the first time with it being misaligned. :cry: I know this is an interference engine. Have I, in fact, proved that point? Anybody have any resources for doing a valve job?

    TB
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,747
    TB, If you were 180 off, I don't think you did any damage to the engine - you were just exhausting in the cylinders that were being fired and intaking in the cylinders that were not. If you did not hear any crunching, everything is okay.

    The roughness you are experiencing is due to the timing being off. I am curious as to whether or not something perhaps slipped slightly without you noticing it. Even if you are off by only a tooth or two on one cam, it could cause this hesitation/roughness. I will smooth out as RPMs increase. I did this one, too! I was one tooth of on one cam. It wasn't really noticable to me, but the next time I tore it apart I noticed the mistake, corrected it, and I could tell then that it did run smoother at idle/low RPM.

    I know it is a pain in the [non-permissible content removed], but it may be worth pulling the covers off again and double checking the alignment. The quickest way to do it is to reposition the crank at TDC with the belt still on it and look at how everything sits.

    Good luck and I am glad to hear that you got it running!

    -Wes-
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • jfljfl Member Posts: 1,396
    Glad to hear you got it running. Wes has some great points in his post. I'm sure you'll get it done!

    It's a great feeling when it all comes together.

    Best of luck,

    Jim
  • tbragg44tbragg44 Member Posts: 24
    Thanks again, Jim & Wes.

    I am pretty sure the belt is aligned on the factory marks on the camshaft gears. This does raise more questions, though.

    1. Which is more accurate, the slots in the aft timing covers (nearest the engine block) or the marks on the belt?

    2. Have you seen more than one color paint on the timing marks on the cam gears? I have orange and white in 3 out of 4 places, only 1 tooth off from the white that is painted into the factory marks. A result of previous mis-timing? A good use for surplus paint?

    Any thoughts? It's a lot of disassembly and reassembly work for trial-and-error troubleshooting. When I get back into it, I'd like to be pretty sure I'm doing things correctly.

    TIA,

    TB
  • psgpsg Member Posts: 72
    I ended up putting the window down and taking the mirror cover off. The door panel went right into place. This was an easy upgrade and well worth it. Though, the head unit was a 90% improvement, compared to a 10% improvement for the speakers. I think I'll leave the rear speakers alone and spend the time and money on our 2004 Honda Odyssey's sound system. The Honda's system sounds truly dreadful!
  • fibber2fibber2 Member Posts: 3,786
    Phi,,

    Ditto that.... '02 Ody EX...

    Steve
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,747
    Hmmm... .that does raise questions. I cannot speak for a '99 (I did not go back and reread the posts.... it is a '99 that you have, correct?), but my '96 has no factory paint on the cam sprockets. All of the timing marks, including the belt (NAPA), lined up as specified in the Haynes manual the last time I replaced it. Prior to that..... the second time I had it off.... I did not have the Haynes manual available to me so we put the crank to TDC and used yellow model paint to mark the "up" position of the cam sprockets in relation to the crank. We didn't even bother trying to track the marks on the timing belt.

    It worked okay, but it was a pain in the rear compared to lining up the belt and sprocket marks because we had to position everything perfectly prior to installing the belt - lining up the marks, we could install the belt and align it as we went... much easier.

    Getting back on point, maybe the orange marks are a result of a similar approach. Have you owned the car since new? I think I would tend to ignore the orange marks unless the information Steve provided mentions them....
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • yustryustr Member Posts: 2
    I apologize if this has been answered already. I'm new to this forum.

    My 1999 Subaru Legacy w/ 95K miles shows the following symptoms: when making a slow-speed full lock turn (say pulling into a parking space) mostly to the left, or backing out of the stall – again full lock mostly to the left, I feel a definite bumping. It feels as if I’m rolling over cobble stones. Another way to describe it – if you’ve ever owned an old style 4x4 it feels kind of like the torque steer effect.

    Here’s the main clue: it only manifests after being driven for some time (20 min or more).

    Minor clue: there is a noticeable vibration through the steering wheel at about 65 mph. (This is probably telling me I need new tires but who knows? I have rotated the tires and the bumping is still there – the vibration went away.)

    Minor clue: I had a new clutch installed <3K miles ago. I don&#146;t remember it doing this before but it certainly could have been.

    I took it to my neighborhood garage (who installed the clutch) and after I had to &#147;make it do it&#148; said it was something called a &#147;viscous coupling&#148;. He then said I should go to the dealer to have it fixed. Which usually translates from mechanic speak to mean &#147;I think that&#146;s it but if it&#146;s not I don&#146;t want to be stuck for the cost&#148;.

    Any one have a guess? Is it safe to drive short distances?
  • pathtomaxpathtomax Member Posts: 215
    Hello everyone,

    I have not posted in a long time. That is a very good thing as I have been continuing my commute of 34k miles/ year. I currently have 89K miles on my 2001 Outback Limited. Knock on wood- this car has been great.

    I am preparing for my 90k tuneup in the coming weeks but noticed an odd thing this morning. I was almost at work, at a stop light. I was totally stopped- then the RFPMs shot up on their own to about 2K and the whole car lurched forward about a foot. Then the RFPMs went back down again. It did this last night on my way home as well. The A/C was and it usually cycles the RPMs but never had that "lurch" before.

    Any help out there???
    Thanks! :confuse:
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    That acts as a center differential and basically connects the front and rear axles.

    Could be, but we haven't seen that here in the Town Hall.

    I'd suspect a CV joint, or maybe the front differential. Have you changed the diffy fluids at all? If not you should start there. Gear oil is cheap. 75w90.

    -juice
  • gaelicgrl1gaelicgrl1 Member Posts: 1
    i have a 92 legacy and all of a sudden all of the electric windows except the drivers wont work. i looked at the fuse box under the hood. any ideas. i am not a mechanic and i live on student loans so if it has to go to the shop we will just live with it. thanx gaelicgrl1
  • zman3zman3 Member Posts: 857
    The security switch on the window controls is not on is it? This prevents the non driver windows on my 98 from functioning. Just a thought.
  • fredp3fredp3 Member Posts: 1
    My front brakes on '03 Subaru Legacy Outback Wagon went bad at 24000. They were replaced by my dealer at no charge. Back brakes now make a scraping noise when backing up and pulsate when stopping but dealer says they are not low enough to replace under warranty. I plan to try again before 36000 mi.

    Does your car feel like the brakes are always on a little? As soon as I take my foot off the gas the car starts to slow down, like it doesn't coast.
  • mfmatuskymfmatusky Member Posts: 1
    '92 Subaru Legacy. Sudden electrical problem. Driving along and lights, radio fail. Charge light and brake light come on. Charge battery and limp car home. Checked all fusible links. Replaced alternator. Still no charge. Followed alternator harness to check for physical damage. Found two white wires under fuse box with bad corrosion / heat damage. Repaired wires with butt connectors. Put car back together. Car won't even crank. Back to harnesses under fuse box. Found second corroded / hot connection. Repaired with large crimp connector. Put car back together. It starts but still won't charge. Running at idle w/no added drain draws 5 A, headlights, power windows, or AC add about 5-7 A each. Battery voltage is 11.5 to 12.5 depending on how long since I charged it. Batt terminal at alternator harness plug shows battery voltage. S terminal shows 0.3 volts less. IGN terminal shows battery voltage with ignition on. L terminal makes batt light on dash go on EVEN THOUGH IT DOESN"T LIGHT UP WHILE THE CAR IS RUNNING AT A DISCHARGE. It seems the alternator won't ground that wire. Should the alternator have an external ground wire? I wouldn't think so but I have seen such critters. Any help?? Thanks, MFMatusky
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